In a letter addressed to Congress, the institute, led by the former Republican president, implored lawmakers to continue supporting PEPFAR.
Former President George W. Bush Institute is calling on the U.S. Congress to maintain funding for the PEPFAR, a vital global HIV/AIDS program responsible for saving millions of lives
The initiative collaborates with non-profit organizations, distributing HIV/AIDS medication worldwide, financing orphanages, and reinforcing global health systems. The Former President George W. Bush Institute, in conjunction with international leaders and humanitarian groups, emphasized PEPFAR’s significance, hailing it as one of the most successful international development programs since World War II. They stressed that discontinuing it abruptly would convey a discouraging message, suggesting a failure to prioritize global welfare over political divides.
Although PEPFAR has historically garnered bipartisan backing, it is currently entangled in a political dispute. Some Republicans are contesting PEPFAR due to its affiliation with abortion-providing organizations. Congressman Chris Smith, a staunch PEPFAR supporter, has insisted on withholding reauthorization unless abortion-related groups are excluded from funding. However, the Biden administration‘s Global AIDS Coordinator asserted no instances of funding abortion services.
PEPFAR’s impact is substantial, credited with preserving 25 million lives across 55 countries, including 5.5 million HIV-free infants
Initially established by Former President George W. Bush and Congress two decades ago, the program targeted areas in Africa where treatment costs were prohibitive, combating the AIDS epidemic that has claimed over 40 million lives since 1981.
A Lancet medical journal article defended PEPFAR, citing a significant drop in new AIDS-related orphan numbers in sub-Saharan Africa, from 1.6 million in 2004 to 382,000 in 2021, coinciding with the program’s rollout of HIV drugs. Child AIDS-related deaths in the region have plummeted by 80%. In a published opinion piece in The Washington Post, Former President George W. Bush, known for his staunch anti-abortion stance, urged Congress to sustain funding for a program that has saved over 25 million lives, emphasizing its profoundly pro-life impact.
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